From Aid to Action. ACIC Symposium 2025 CELEBRATING 50 YEARS OF SOLIDARITY & GLOBAL COOPERATION Elder Joe Michael Elder in Residence Acadia University About Joe Joe Michael is a respected Mi’kmaw Elder, Pipe Carrier, and Sacred Fire Keeper from Sipekne’katik First Nation, known for his lifelong commitment to advancing Indigenous knowledge, ceremony, and leadership. With over 27 years of experience as a police officer and security professional, he has helped shape national approaches to Indigenous community policing and continues to support conflict resolution and leadership development across sectors. Joe is the creator of The River Stone Journey and a trusted advisor, educator, and speaker who brings Mi’kmaw teachings to institutions, youth, and community spaces. He is also a co-producer of L’NUK 101: Finding Common Ground , using storytelling and media to foster deeper understanding between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples. Through his work, Joe creates space for reflection, healing, and connection grounded in Mi’kmaw values and ceremony.

From Aid to Action. ACIC Symposium 2025 CELEBRATING 50 YEARS OF SOLIDARITY & GLOBAL COOPERATION Heather McPherson Member of Parliament Edmonton-Strathcona (NDP) About Heather Heather McPherson was elected to represent the riding of Edmonton Strathcona in the House of Commons of Canada in October 2019 and was re-elected to her seat in September 2021, and again in April 2025. Heather is currently the NDP critic for Foreign Affairs and International Development, as well as critic for International Trade, for Seniors, for Heritage (Arts, Culture, and Sport), and for Agriculture. She also currently serves as Caucus Chair for the current NDP caucus, having previously served as both Whip and Deputy Whip for the federal NDP in the House of Commons. Like her time prior to the 2021 election, Heather is the only non-Conservative Member of Parliament in Alberta. Prior to her time in Parliament, Heather spent over 20 years working on sustainable development and international cooperation efforts through the non-profit sector, including 10 years as Executive Director of the Alberta Council for Global Cooperation. Heather has worked closely with the Canadian and international community, focusing on sustainable development, good governance, and human rights. Heather has a master's degree from the University of Alberta in Educational Policy Studies in Theoretical, Cultural, and International Studies in Education, with a focus on incorporating indigenous knowledges in the achievement of sustainable development. Heather lives in Edmonton, Alberta with her partner and two children where she takes full advantage of the close proximity to lakes, forests, and mountains.

From Aid to Action. ACIC Symposium 2025 CELEBRATING 50 YEARS OF SOLIDARITY & GLOBAL COOPERATION Joseph Fitkowski Project Alumnus International Youth Internship Program About Joseph Joseph Fitkowski is an alumnus of the 2024 International Youth Internship Program, and served in Nairobi, Kenya with Colleges and Institutes Canada. A graduate of Dalhousie University's Master of Arts in Political Science (2023) and Western University's Master of Arts in History (2020) programs, he has always been interested and fascinated by how governments, institutions, and individuals create and propagate narratives, and how policy, especially those in illiberal regimes or those facing democratic backsliding, is framed in historical contexts. He has recently relocated to St. John's, and is excited to return to the East Coast.

From Aid to Action. ACIC Symposium 2025 CELEBRATING 50 YEARS OF SOLIDARITY & GLOBAL COOPERATION Janice Hamilton Executive Director Manitoba Council for International Cooperation About Janice Janice has been with the Manitoba Council for International Cooperation (MCIC) since 1987, serving in a variety of roles before becoming Executive Director in 2000. A committed leader in the international cooperation sector, Janice has served at the national level as a Director of Cooperation Canada for many years since 1996. She is also an active member of the Inter-Council Network of Provincial & Regional Councils for International Cooperation. Provincially, she has participated in several Roundtables and most recently was on the Curriculum Advisory Panel for Manitoba Education and Early Childhood Learning. Janice received the Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal (Manitoba) in 2022. Janice is passionate about Public Engagement. She is dedicated to creating meaningful and creative ways to involve more people in international cooperation and seeing the connections between global and local issues, with the goal of nurturing engaged, informed Global Citizens. She has participated in several committees, both nationally and provincially, regarding Public Engagement. MCIC has earned a reputation for delivering innovative and engaging programming in the formal education sector and the larger community. Outside of her professional work, Janice is a strong supporter of the arts. She is an enthusiastic patron of Winnipeg’s cultural scene and holds season tickets to the Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre and the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra.

Prince Edward Island Members Connect with our Prince Edward Island Members, learn more about how they are making the world a more just, equitable and sustainable world. If you are from PEI and would like to join our membership, or learn about a member, reach out to the PEI Coordinator, Choyce Chappell at Choyce@acic-caci.org . Organizational Members Cooper Institute Cooper Institute is an education and community development centre in the province of Prince Edward Island, Canada. The main program areas of the Cooper Institute are livable income for all, food sovereignty, democracy, diversity and inclusion, protection of land and water, and improving lives of migrant workers in the province. Within these programs, they conduct research and popular education projects on provincial, national, and international level. Learn More Farmers Helping Farmers Initially called the International Family Farm Exchange Association, this registered charity is now simply known as Farmers Helping Farmers. Working with their partners in Kenya, they have carried out several hundred development projects, worth more than $10 million Canadian, including funds contributed by CIDA. These projects are estimated to have touched the lives of at least 100,000 people and they're still going strong after more than 35 years. Learn More International Sustainable Community Assistance ISCA-AIDC creates opportunities for communities in need by helping them build sustainable agriculture systems. In its work, ISCA-AIDC strives to adhere to the values of right of self determination, dignity of individual, mutual respect, fairness, participatory process, project sustainability, sustainability and cooperative approaches. Learn More Latin American Mission Program The Latin American Mission Program began in 1967 in response to the Second Vatican Council call to share church personnel with developing countries, especially Latin America. Latin America Mission Program offers a challenging, first-hand experience on how most of the world’s population live. LAMP welcomes youth (or those young at heart) to participate in the Dominican Republic Faith & Justice Experience. Learn More University of Prince Edward Island - Applied Communication, Leadership, and Culture University of Prince Edward Island's Applied Communication, Leadership, and Culture program explicitly connects the communication skills and leadership training of a liberal arts education to successful post- graduation employment. This degree program is defined by its focus on the transferability of the written, oral and visual communication skills, the critical thinking, and the cultural awareness acquired during a liberal arts education to the world beyond academia. Technical skills, work-integrated learning (internships, cooperatives, workplace-generated projects), and career-related mentoring are key components of its design. Learn More Individual Members Catherine Ronahan Catherine has more than 10 years coaching and facilitating individuals/groups in career development Eliza Knockwood Eliza Knockwood is a Two Spirit Mi'kmaq filmmaker living and working out of Epekwitk (also known as Prince Edward Island, Canada). She started her career in the broadcast television industry at the young age of nineteen. Within a year she became the production coordinator on a television series and held that role for three years. In 2006 Eliza began her journey with documentary films and has directed several self-produced shots and community productions. In 2021 Eliza directed her first longer form project called The Ice Walk which was initially created in partnership with Bell Fibe TV1 and then repackaged into feature length film. She has just wrapped filming another short form series titled Gina'matimg - Time of Learning and is currently developing a feature documentary titled The Rite of Passage. Jennifer Fox Jennifer Fox has been interested in international development since youth. Through a post-graduate study in International Education (School Leadership) and with 20 years of Home Economics and Health teaching, Jennifer has established a commitment to building capacity internationally. Jennifer has a BSc from UPEI, worked as a teacher in the Yukon and Northwest British Columbia, interned with CIDA in Malawi, Africa (2004- 05) and has recently been trained in Humanitarian Education from the Canadian Red Cross. Keyshawn Bonamy Keyshawn came to Canada from the Bahamas in 2015 to study Economics and Political Science at the University of Prince Edward Island. Graduating in 2020, she became the Executive Director of the Voluntary Resource Center, building upon years of volunteer work with Rotary International, WUSC, and other groups on the island.

From Aid to Action. ACIC Symposium 2025 CELEBRATING 50 YEARS OF SOLIDARITY & GLOBAL COOPERATION David Black Professor International Development Studies, Dalhousie University About David Professor David Black has spent many years back and forth between Ontario and Nova Scotia. Growing up in Downsview, a very multicultural and working class suburban area of Toronto, he was fortunate to live in the midst of many different, and rapidly changing, ethnic communities. His undergraduate university years first kept him in Ontario as he attended Trent University where he got his BA. Then he headed east to Halifax to Dalhousie to work his way through his MA degree. He remained at Dalhousie for his PhD but then found himself back in Ontario for several years, including a SSHRC Post-Doctoral Fellowship at Queen’s University. Then, it was back to Dal when he initially took up a one-year sessional appointment in Dal’s Political Science department, and was then lucky enough to get a tenure-stream position the following year. David Black's research interests focus on Canada’s role in “development cooperation” and in Sub-Saharan Africa (including human security, diplomacy, and the extractive sector); sport in world politics and development; and disability and global development. He has also published on human rights and identity in Canadian and South African foreign policies, and on post-apartheid South Africa in Africa.

Safer Spaces 2026 Registration is now open! Join us for ACIC’s Safer Spaces Program 2026, a three-part learning series bringing together members and youth as global actors navigating systems shaped by colonialism, racism, and unequal power. Registration is now open! Join us for ACIC’s Safer Spaces Program 2026, a three-part learning series that brings together members and youth as global actors working within systems shaped by colonialism, racism, and unequal power. The program creates an intentional, safer intergenerational space for members to critically reflect on how systems of power influence the world, and to strengthen collective commitments to justice-centered global solidarity. Through facilitated dialogue, shared reflection, and engagement with lived experience, participants will examine their roles, responsibilities, and opportunities for action within global and local contexts. The program supports members to move beyond awareness toward accountable practice, while building relationships and shared language across generations and experiences. By registering using this form, you are registering for all three parts of our Safer Spaces Program (info below). If you have any questions, please email us at raushni@acic-caci.org . Register by January 16, 2026. Workshop: Understanding Solidarity through an Anti-Racist Lens Hybrid: In-person in Halifax or online | January 23, 10 AM to 1 PM Join us for an in-person or online workshop that introduces core concepts of anti-racism and global solidarity. Together, we will explore how colonialism, race, and whiteness influence international cooperation, and reflect on how power operates across global and local contexts. This session will focus on building shared language, trust, and a foundation for meaningful dialogue throughout the program. Lunch will be provided. Webinar: Power and Perspectives on Solidarity Online | Feb-March 2026 This webinar builds directly on themes and questions identified by participants in Workshop 1, centering what members and youth have named as integral to their work and experiences. Bringing together diverse perspectives, the session foregrounds lived experience and community-rooted knowledge as critical sources of insight. Participants will be invited to listen, reflect, and engage in dialogue on how power, identity, and context shape global solidarity, and what more just and accountable practice can look like across generations and roles. Retreat: Reflection and Application In-person, travel subsidy available | April 2026 This in-person retreat creates space for participants to pause, reflect, and synthesize key learnings from across the Safer Spaces series. Through facilitated discussion and participatory activities, participants will explore how insights from the program can be translated into concrete personal, relational, and organizational action. The session will support participants in identifying next steps for continued learning, accountability, and practice, while strengthening connections across roles, organizations, and generations. Application Details Register by January 16. Apply / Register Now Similar Opportunities Safer Spaces 2026 Join us for ACIC’s Safer Spaces Program 2026, a three-part learning series bringing together members and youth as global actors navigating systems shaped by colonialism, racism, and unequal power. Learn More

About the Inter-Council Network www.icn-rcc.ca The Inter-Council Network (ICN) is a coalition of the eight Provincial and Regional Councils for International Cooperation , and is currently hosted at the Atlantic Council for International Cooperation . These independent member-based Councils are committed to global social justice and social change. The ICN provides a national forum in which the Councils collaborate for improved effectiveness and identify common priorities for collective action. Rooted in communities across Canada, the ICN is a leader in public engagement at a local and regional level, and is recognized for bringing regional knowledge and priorities to the national level. Created in 2006 through a collective effort of the Councils, and supported through CIDA funding from 2007, the ICN has met and continues to address key needs of the Canadian international development community. Representing over 350 CSOs across Canada, the ICN is well placed to identify and address regional concerns, and is deeply aware of the needs and challenges of the small and medium sized civil society organizations within our sector. Updates from the ICN ICN Youth Delegation 2025 The Inter-Council Network is proud to work with youth from across Canada in order to ensure that their voices have the opportunity to be heard at the AWID Forum 2024 in Bangkok, Thailand. Learn More ICN Youth Delegation 2024 The Inter-Council Network is proud to work with youth from across Canada in order to ensure that their voices have the opportunity to be heard at the Sixty-Eighth Session of the Commission of the Status of Women (CSW68). Learn More

From Aid to Action. ACIC Symposium 2025 CELEBRATING 50 YEARS OF SOLIDARITY & GLOBAL COOPERATION Shelagh Savage Lecturer International Development Studies Department at Dalhousie University About Shelagh Shelagh is a long-time international cooperation practitioner who brings decades of hands-on experience to her work with students. Since 2020, she’s been teaching “Development in Practice” (INTD3002) in Dalhousie's IDS department, where she draws on real-world examples and lessons learned from working directly with communities and partners around the world. Before joining the department, Shelagh served as Associate Director (Partnerships) at the Coady Institute, where she focused on building equitable partnerships, designing programs, and facilitating practical learning experiences. She led and co-facilitated courses like Re-thinking Partnership and Asset-Based Community Development (ABCD), helping practitioners apply these approaches in their own contexts. Her work in the sector spans over 20 years, including roles such as Country Director with WUSC in Sri Lanka and Executive Director of VSO Canada. She’s collaborated with a wide range of grassroots and global organizations on youth leadership, peacebuilding, and volunteer cooperation. Shelagh’s approach is rooted in collaboration, and she’s partnered with civil society organizations across South and Southeast Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa, and the Caribbean, as well as international agencies like the ILO, UNOCHA, and UNICEF. In addition to her global work, she stays closely involved in local and national networks in Canada. She’s contributed her expertise to groups like the Royal Roads University Advisory Council, the GAC COVID-19 Solutions Team, and the Atlantic Council for International Cooperation. Shelagh continues to share what she’s learned through writing, speaking, and facilitation—focusing on topics like building equitable partnerships, strengthening leadership through learning, and supporting meaningful community participation in complex environments.

From Aid to Action. ACIC Symposium 2025 CELEBRATING 50 YEARS OF SOLIDARITY & GLOBAL COOPERATION Adiza Abdul-Raifu About Adiza

Professional Practice Workshop ACIC Professional Practice Workshop invites post-secondary students in social justice, community development, and international solidarity (or similar fields) to participate in a knowledge and skill development workshop on March, 16 2024. About Eligibility Criteria Application Process Important Dates About the Program Workshop Description: ACIC Professional Practice Workshop invites post-secondary students in social justice, community development, and international solidarity (or similar fields) to participate in a knowledge and skill development workshop on March, 16 2024. The workshop will bridge the gap between knowledge and action by engaging students to foster skills, access resources, and build their knowledge around professional practice, helping to build confidence to engage on these issues with their communities. In addition, students from New Brunswick, across disciplines, will come together for a day of co-learning and networking, including training and conversations related to personal profile building for employment, unique paths to employment, skills mapping, and more. Why get involved: Engage with peers and experienced professionals working in various non-profit fields Learn about careers, locally and internationally, that contribute to better communities Combine theory and action to strengthen your understanding of praxis in relation to global solidarity ACIC Professional Practice Workshop invites post-secondary students in social justice, community development, and international solidarity (or similar fields) to participate in a knowledge and skill development workshop on March, 16 2024. The workshop will bridge the gap between knowledge and action by engaging students to foster skills, access resources, and build their knowledge around professional practice, helping to build confidence to engage on these issues with their communities. In addition, students from New Brunswick, across disciplines, will come together for a day of co-learning and networking, including training and conversations related to personal profile building for employment, unique paths to employment, skills mapping, and more. Application Process Apply by March 15, 2024. Important Dates Apply by March 15, 2024 Workshop takes place on March 16, 2024 Eligibility Criteria To apply for this program, participants will: Be between the ages of 18-29 Be living in New Brunswick Application Details Apply by: March 15, 2024 Learn More

From Aid to Action. ACIC Symposium 2025 CELEBRATING 50 YEARS OF SOLIDARITY & GLOBAL COOPERATION Eileen Alma Executive Director Coady Institute, St. Francis Xavier University About Eileen Eileen Alma is the Executive Director at Coady Institute, St. Francis Xavier University and held this position since June 1, 2022. She previously held the position of Director, International Centre for Women’s Leadership at Coady Institute, overseeing programming and partnerships on women’s leadership and gender equality nationally and internationally including initiatives for Indigenous women leaders and communities, and the development of the Circle of Abundance program initiative. Eileen has more than 30 years of interdisciplinary experience in international program development, management, research and practice. Prior to joining Coady Institute, Eileen worked with the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) for twenty years, as Program Officer in Social and Economic Policy areas as well as with the Embassy of Ethiopia in Canada. Eileen currently serves on the Board of Directors for Cooperation Canada. She is also a facilitator with Hope for Mental Health NS. She has served on technical committees for ICARDA, CGIAR and review committees for SSHRC and the Canada Foundation for Innovation. Eileen holds a Master’s degree in Conflict Analysis and Management (ethno-political) and a Master’s Certificate in Project Management from Royal Roads University.